Improvement in car-couplings



N. DARRoW.'

cAR-coUPLIm-G. No.178,049. .Patented May 30,1875.

UNITED ASTATES PATENT CEEIGE.

NICHOLAS DARROW, OF HEMPSTEAD, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification formingpart of Letters PatentNo. 178,049, dated May 30, 1876; application flled March 6, 1876.

To all lwhom it may concern Be it known that I, NIcHoLAs DARRow, of Hempstead, in the county of Waller and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Car-Coupling, of which the following is a specification In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 represents a top View, and Fig. 2 a vertical lon-4 by a band-spring, b, the interlocking faces or drawingsurfaces of thedraw-heads being provided with cogs or corrugations that give a irm hold to the draw-heads after coupling, and make vthem less liable to slip and get separated. The hook end of the draw-head is extended above and below the curved shank, to give a wide range of vertical motion for coupling cars with platforms of different height. The extensions or shoulders serve, also, as bumpers, and relieve the follower-plates on rear of draw-bars from too great a strain when brought in contact with cars provided with other draw-heads. p

The draw-heads A are uncoupled by a fulcrumed lever, B, that acts, by its front end, on the draw-head, and is connected at its rear end, by a wire rope or chain, to a shaft with hand-Wheel pawl-and-ratchet mechanism on the platform, side, or top of car, so that the draw-heads may be readily uncoupled by the brakeman.

The coupling is accomplished automatically, by the action of the draw-heads, on the approach of the cars 5 the uncoupling, by the handwheel or equivalent mechanism,at any time, even Without slacking the speed ofthe cars, both operations being entirely without danger, as no entering between the cars is necessary.

YThe hook ends of the draw'heads are centrally recessed and vertically perforated, to couple with the common pin-and-link coupling. I

The cars are arranged with spring-buffers G, of which the bufersof one car have side-'extending guard-plates D, to which the tapering heads of the buffers of the adjoining car are fitted. The guard-plates guide and assist in the coupling of the cars, and also prevent the cars from swinging too much from one sideA of the track to the other, which wears on theaxlejournals, and causes, sometimes, the throwing ofthe cars off the track.

The spring-acted buii'ers secure, by their adjustment on passing around curves, the coupling of the draw-heads, so that no accidental disconnection of the same, by violent jerks or short curves, is rendered possible, and a reliable coupling for cars with platforms of even or diii'erent heights is furnished.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination, with draw-heads, of springbuffers C C, provided with tapering head and plates D, respectively, the same being arranged on both sides of the couplers, as and for the purpose specified.

N. DARROW.

Witnesses J. T. BELL,` G. MALTZOP. 

